Hair styling tool

ABSTRACT

There is provided a hair styling tool suitable for styling hair. The hair styling tool has a handle portion with a pair of pivotally connected arms. The hair styling tool also has a hair engaging portion with one or more hair contacting elements. The hair contacting elements provide a hair styling effect. Hair contacting elements have apertures and/or perforated grooves disposed therein. The hair contacting elements can be removably connected to the styling tool to selectively accomplish various hair styling techniques and/or effects in an efficient and versatile manner to reduce the duration and/or degree to which hair is exposed to styling damage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair styling tool. More particularly,the present invention relates to a flat hair crimping and/orstraightening iron.

2. Description of the Related Art

Flat iron hair straighteners and/or crimpers are well known. Typically,these devices have two pivoting arms with at least one arm having aheating surface suitable for making direct contact with the hair of auser. These devices can provide a variety of different styling effectsto the hair. For example, the hair can be straightened, curled orcrimped depending on the configuration of the heating surface as locksof hair are gripped between the two arms.

A drawback associated with these conventional hair crimpers and/orstraighteners is found in the operating and/or styling inefficiencyassociated with styling damp or wet hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective andversatile hair styling tool that is capable of efficiently styling dampor wet hair.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair stylingtool that has vent system.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hairstyling tool that operatively cooperates with a variety of vented haircontacting elements.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hairstyling tool and complementary hair contacting elements that provide fordifferent hair styling effects.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areachieved by a hair styling tool with a handle portion having at leasttwo arms pivotally connected at a proximal end thereof. The hair stylingtool has a hair engaging portion and one or more hair contactingelements. The hair contacting elements can provide a predetermined hairstyling effect. Hair contacting elements preferably have one or moreapertures and/or perforated grooves disposed therein. The haircontacting elements can be removably connected to the styling tool toselectively accomplish various hair styling techniques and/or effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a hair styling tool in accordancewith an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a hair engaging portion of the hair stylingtool of FIG. 1 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a side section view of the hair engaging portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a hair engaging portion of the hair stylingtool of FIG. 1 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a side section view of the hair engaging portion of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a hair engaging portion of the hair stylingtool of FIG. 1 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a side section view of the hair engaging portion of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a contacting element in accordance with anillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side section view of the contacting element of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an end section view of the contacting element of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a contacting element in accordance with anillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a side section view of the contacting element of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an end section view of the contacting element of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a contacting element in accordance with anillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a side section view of the contacting element of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16 is an end section view of the contacting element of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and, in particular, FIG. 1, a hair stylingtool in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the presentinvention is shown and generally represented by reference numeral 1.Preferably, a hair styling tool 1 has at least a pair of pivotallyconnected arms 10. Each arm 10 has a handle portion 12 and a hairengaging portion 14. Each hair engaging portion 14 has a hair contactingelement 16.

Each arm 10 preferably has a proximal end 18 and a distal end 20. Arms10 are pivotally connected preferably at a proximal end 18 thereof via ahinge 22. Hair engaging portion 14 is preferably at a distal end 20 ofarms 10 spaced a distance from handle portion 12 and/or hinge 22.

However, arms 10 may also, or alternatively, be otherwise connectedand/or arranged. For example, arms 10 can be pivotally connected at anintermediate portion of each arm. Hinge 22 preferably operates to biasarms 10 apart from each other. The hinge bias may be selectivelyovercome via a user interaction. For example, handle portion 12 canenable a user to selectively overcome the bias of hinge 22, such as, forexample, by a squeezing action of the user's hand. That is, arms 10 canbe manipulated via handle portions 12 thereof to cause arms 10 to pivotrelative to each other, about hinge 22. The pivotal movement allows hairengaging portions 14 to move hair engaging portions 14 between a closed,relatively parallel hair engaging state, and an open, relativelyseparate hair disengaging state. Hair engaging portions 14 arepreferably suitable to operatively accommodate hair contacting elements16.

Arms 10 can preferably be made of any suitable material and/orcombination of materials for providing safe and effective handling.Also, arms 10 may have any appropriate shape or configuration sufficientto accommodate a variety of different applications in use.

Hair engaging portion 14 of arms 10 can have any of a variety of shapes,sizes and/or configurations. For example, in the aspect of the inventionreflected in FIG. 1, each hair engaging portion 14 can be in the form ofa paddle with a substantially planar surface 24 suitable formechanically and/or thermally cooperating with contacting elements 16.One or more hair engaging portions 14 can house a heater 26 (see FIGS.3, 5, and 7) directly or indirectly connected to hair engaging portion14 and a power source (not shown). One or both hair engaging portion 14can have any of a variety of other aspects, some of which will now bediscussed.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 6, in a preferred aspect of the presentinvention, each hair engaging portion 14 cooperates with its respectivehair contacting element 16 to provide a venting feature. For example, asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, hair engaging portion 14 can have one or morevents 28 for allowing heat, pressure and/or moisture resulting duringoperative use of styling tool 1 to escape. Preferably, this ventingfeature reduces or eliminates the need for otherwise drying the hair(e.g., via a blow dryer) depending on the styling effect desired.

Vents 28 can have any of a variety of shapes, sizes and/orconfigurations as appropriate for accomplishing an intended purpose ofthe present invention. For example, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in oneaspect of the present invention, at least some vents 28 may have alarger cross-sectional area than others. At least some vents 28 may berecessed and/or connected to a chamber 30, see FIGS. 5 and 7. Chamber 30can operate to direct the heat and/or moisture as desired. Chamber 30may cooperate with an actuator 32 such as that shown in FIG. 5. Actuator32 may selectively control the extents to which vents 28 are open and/orclosed. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, Chamber 30 preferably allows for afirst side 34 of at least one hair engaging portion 14 to have vents 28of a first shape, size, number or arrangement and a second side 36,opposite first side 34, to have a second shape, size, number andarrangement. Vents 28 can be randomly arranged in any of a variety ofpatterns suitable for accomplishing intended purposes, aesthetic and/orfunctional, of the present invention.

In another preferred aspect of the present invention, one or more haircontacting elements 16 may selectively cooperate with their respectivehair engaging portions 14 to provide additional and/or alternative hairstyling options. Each hair contacting element 16 is preferably formed ofa suitable heat conductive material such as, for example, a metallicmaterial and/or a ceramic material. Hair contacting elements 16 can befixed and/or removable with respect to hair engaging portion 14, and canhave any shape, size and/or configuration appropriate for an intendeduse. For example, hair contacting elements 16 can have an upper surface38 that is flat or smooth, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 and 11 to 13, forstraightening hair; corrugated, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, for crimpinghair; or otherwise formed to provide other hair styling effects.

Referring to FIGS. 8 through 16, in a preferred aspect of the presentinvention, hair engaging portions 14 operate with one or more haircontacting elements 16 that have apertures 40 and/or perforated grooves42 therein. Apertures 40 and/or perforated grooves 42 preferablycommunicate with vents 28 of hair engaging portion 14 to allow heat,pressure and/or moisture, resulting during use of styling tool 1, toescape. Apertures 40 and/or perforated grooves 42 of hair contactingelement 16 can have any of a variety of shapes, sizes and/orconfigurations as appropriate for accomplishing any of a variety of hairstyling effects.

For example, referring to FIGS. 8 through 10, in one aspect of thepresent invention, one or more hair contacting elements 16 can have asubstantially flat or planar contacting surface with a pair ofperforated grooves 42 therein. Referring to the hair contacting elementshown, these perforated grooves 42 preferably are in direct fluidcommunication with vents 28 of hair engaging portion 14. When haircontacting element 16 and hair engaging portion 14 are properlyoperatively connected, perforated grooves 42 and vents 28 are in directalignment with each other. Alternatively, perforated grooves 42 may bearranged in any of a variety of patterns suitable for accomplishing anintended purpose, aesthetic and/or functional.

Referring to FIGS. 11 through 13, in another aspect of the presentinvention, at least some apertures 40 can have a larger cross-sectionalarea than other apertures. Also, at least some apertures 40 may berecessed. Further, at least some apertures 40 can be in direct fluidcommunication with vents 28 of hair engaging portion 14 so that whenhair contacting element 16 and hair engaging portion 14 are properlyoperatively connected, apertures 40 and vents 28 are in direct alignmentwith each other. Apertures 40 can be arranged in any of a variety ofpatterns suitable for accomplishing intended purposes, aesthetic and/orfunctional, of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 14 through 16, in still another aspect of the presentinvention, apertures 40 and/or perforated grooves 42 may be disposed ina non-planar contacting surface of hair contacting element 16. Forexample, as best shown in FIG. 16, apertures 40 and/or perforatedgrooves 42 can be disposed in one or more depressions 44 of a corrugatedsurface of hair contacting element 16. Again, when hair contactingelement 16 and hair engaging portion 14 are properly operativelyconnected, apertures 40 and/or perforated grooves 42 are preferablydirectly aligned with vents 28. However, apertures 40 and/or grooves 42can be arranged in any of a variety of patterns suitable foraccomplishing intended purposes, aesthetic and/or functional, of thepresent invention.

Hair contacting elements 16 can also be provided with an engaging groove46 as shown in FIG. 10, preferably in a lower surface 48 thereof, forcooperating with a complementary engaging tongue 50 associated with hairengaging portion 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This tongue 50 andgroove 46 connection can be used to facilitate the interchangeability ofthe various hair contacting elements 16. In one aspect of the presentinvention, engaging groove 46 and tongue 50 can be thermally interactiveso that heat generated via heater 26 of hair styling tool 1 can beselectively transferred to an engaged hair contacting element 16 viaengaged tongue 50. Further, this tongue 50 and groove 46 connectionpreferably prevents any vertical displacement of hair contactingelements 16 with respect to hair engaging portion 14.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in another aspect of the invention, hairengaging portion 14 can have a lock/release mechanism 52 suitable toselectively secure hair contacting elements 16 in position and, incombination with the tongue 50 and groove 46 connection, prevent anylateral displacement of hair contacting elements 16 with respect to hairengaging portion 14.

Each hair contacting element 16 may additionally or alternatively beconfigured with a fastener 54 for removably connecting to hair engagingportion 14. For example, in one aspect of the present invention, one ormore hair engaging portions 14 have one or more flanges 56, shown inFIG. 1. Flanges 56 are preferably configured so that hair contactingelements 16 can be snap-fit thereover via fastener 54. Otherconfigurations may additionally and/or alternatively be used.

The present invention having been thus described with particularreference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious thatvarious changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention as defined herein.

1. A hair styling tool comprising: a handle portion having a pair ofpivotally connected arms, each arm having a hair contacting element,wherein said hair contacting element with one or more apertures therein.2. The hair styling tool of claim 1, wherein said one or more aperturesare in the form of perforated grooves.
 3. The hair styling tool of claim1, wherein said arms are pivotally connected at a proximal end thereof.4. The hair styling tool of claim 1, wherein said hair contactingelement is operatively located at a distal end thereof.
 5. The hairstyling tool of claim 1, wherein said hair contacting element is a heatconductive plate and thermally interactive with the hair styling tool toeffectively apply heat to selected portions of hair as desired.
 6. Thehair styling tool of claim 1, wherein said hair contacting element has ahair contacting surface.
 7. The hair styling tool of claim 6, whereinsaid hair contacting surface is at least substantially planar.
 8. Thehair styling tool of claim 6, wherein said hair contacting surface iscorrugated.
 9. The hair styling tool of claim 1, wherein said one ormore apertures are in communication with one or more vents of the hairstyling tool to vent moisture, heat and/or pressure.
 10. The hairstyling tool of claim 9, wherein said one or more vents are in saiddistal end of said arms.
 11. A hair contacting element of a hair stylingtool comprising: a heatable hair contacting surface having a pluralityof recessed apertures, wherein said plurality of recessed apertures arein communication with a corresponding number of vents in said hairstyling tool to vent moisture, heat and/or pressure.
 12. The haircontacting element of claim 11, further comprising a groove forconnection to a tongue of said hair styling tool.
 13. The haircontacting element of claim 12, wherein said groove is thermallyinteractive with said hair styling tool so that heat generated by saidhair styling tool can be selectively transferred to said heatable haircontacting surface via said tongue.
 14. The hair contacting element ofclaim 11, wherein said heatable hair contacting surface is substantiallyplaner.
 15. The hair contacting element of claim 11, wherein saidplurality of recessed apertures and said vents of said hair styling toolalign with each other.
 16. The hair contacting element of claim 11,wherein said plurality of recessed apertures are located throughout saidheatable hair contacting surface in a random manner.
 17. The haircontacting element of claim 11, wherein said plurality of recessedapertures are located in a predefined pattern.
 18. The hair contactingelement of claim 11, wherein said heatable hair contacting surface iscorrugated.
 19. The hair contacting element of claim 18, wherein saidplurality of recessed apertures and said vents of said hair styling toolalign with each other.
 20. The hair contacting element of claim 18,wherein said plurality of recessed apertures are located in a predefinedpattern.